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Ski edges, sharp or dull?

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NS_back_stabber
Posts: 140 - Karma: 10

Searchbar was dead, soooo    I know there is at least one good rail skier on all of NS, and this is for you, or anyone else actaully, but the question is "do you sharpen your edges on your skis? If so, how often?" I watched a video a long while back on here about waxing your skis, and the dude at one point says to NOT sharpen your edges if doing lots of rails. So, does anyone on here still sharpen them? I do a lot of terrain, but still some mountain,, so I keep mine a bit sharp.  What would be the advantages of having less sharp edges? And are there different angles you can have them cut to, to get a better slide on a rail or get less wear? Thanks, hope its not a MAJOR REPOST. Help is much appreciated

Jul 25 2009 11:48PM
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NS_back_stabber
Posts: 140 - Karma: 10
I guess this could actaully be put in gear talk....
Jul 25 2009 11:52PM
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,888
I usually have a pair of softer skis for rails that I dull the edges on, and a stiffer pair I keep in good shape for pipe.
Jul 25 2009 11:55PM
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charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 372
well, i detune my tips and tails, and my invaders are rounded off underfoot, i keep everything else pretty damn sharp.

i probably tune every 2-3 weeks or so. i'd do more if i still raced
Jul 26 2009 12:07AM
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m.brus
Posts: 1597 - Karma: 103
Its all personal preference. I dont sharpen my jib skis because they will usually catch on rails and stuff. Pipe and jumps are all personal preference. I like my jump skis a little dullend but not like jib skis. Enough to carve off lips, enough to sort of slide out on a bad landing. All mountain skis should usually be well maintained 
Jul 26 2009 12:10AM
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i.ski.troll.
Posts: 4692 - Karma: 245
Fuck edges.  I took an angle grinder to mine.  I have almost NO edge.  and I love riding like that
Jul 26 2009 12:24AM
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45.
Posts: 3164 - Karma: 170
I just let them do their own thing. This probably explains why my edges always crack and break
Jul 26 2009 12:27AM
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Get.Kronk
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 226
edges catch sooo, dont do it
Jul 26 2009 12:30AM
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St.Steezy
Posts: 4228 - Karma: 20
edges are played
Jul 26 2009 12:30AM
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charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 372
because your in the midwest...you dont need edges.

no hate on the MW, butttt you guys don't have real mountains, just park, so you make dope parkrats haha
Jul 26 2009 12:40AM
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ShredTheGnarnia
Posts: 2544 - Karma: 79
this. i get em and then after i ride em for a bit they dull themselves down to what feels pretty good, soooo yeah
Jul 26 2009 12:57AM
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gipsywoman
Posts: 115 - Karma: 17
haha josh, you ski troll
Jul 26 2009 1:01AM
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MayorWest
Posts: 1596 - Karma: 160
haha i find that sharp edges can seriosly fuck with on rails but i only really notice have dull edges on super hard snow.
i mean i almost never loose my grip even here one the east coast.
just tune your bases and take gummi stone to ur edges just to smooth out the burs and make em nice smooth but not sharp
Jul 26 2009 1:08AM
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i.ski.troll.
Posts: 4692 - Karma: 245
That is very, very true haha
Jul 26 2009 1:15AM
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Piste.Off
Posts: 11586 - Karma: 1,861
I sharpen my edges on my pow skis every 2 weeks but dull my edges underfoot on my park skis while keeping my tips and tails semi-sharp
Jul 26 2009 1:17AM
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Galin
Posts: 2342 - Karma: 3,940
You can have the best of both worlds if you get your base edge beveled at a higher degree. I haven't done it to any of my skis, because i forgot to with my last pair, and i haven't gotten a pair since. But basically it'll make it more difficult to set your edge when turning, but because of the angle you most likely won't catch your edge. This is all theoretical though, so don't quote me on this.
Jul 26 2009 1:26AM
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ski-swagga
Posts: 5276 - Karma: 219
so true id say were the future of park skiing. unfortunately thats it.. haha
Jul 26 2009 1:38AM
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powderhound100
Posts: 2510 - Karma: 144
why would you sharpen your edges that often for your pow skis? you don't use edges in powder.
Jul 26 2009 3:58AM
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yaaaie
Posts: 333 - Karma: 536
just dont do anything with your edges, they'll get dull just by skiing for 2 weeks or so.

and its better to ski with those skis than it is if you dull them yourself IMO
Jul 26 2009 6:04AM
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Steeze-On-Toast
Posts: 679 - Karma: 92
if you go hitting rails right off the bat doing all your tech shit without dulling the edges, they crack and start getting fucked, ive had this happen on 2 pairs of skis, not fun, although they haven't fallen out yet.

i usually go with taking a file to the edge underfoot and just dulling them, stops them from cracking or killing you,

peace x
Jul 26 2009 8:04AM
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PSiekierski
Posts: 330 - Karma: 33
depends what ur doing, if ur really into rails, i recomend dulling ur edges but if ur doing something like pipe then get a stiffer and sharper ski that will go faster.
Jul 26 2009 1:32PM
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pigglywiggly
Posts: 4482 - Karma: 305
should i just dull mine under the foot//\\? they are brand new ar6s and i do like 40% park (30% rails, maybe less) and 60% hardpacked, groomers, ice and crud. i really want to make sure i dont loose any edge grip..
Jul 26 2009 2:17PM
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charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 372
you will lose edge grip, if you wanna do rails, then round off the edges underfoot, but if you can do withouthittin rails, then keep em sharp
Jul 26 2009 2:26PM
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pigglywiggly
Posts: 4482 - Karma: 305
so ill still loose edge grip if i just dull them a little underfoot?
Jul 26 2009 2:29PM
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powderhound100
Posts: 2510 - Karma: 144
They will dull automatically from hitting rails, you don't really have to dull them.
Jul 26 2009 2:31PM
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Billiards.
Posts: 6853 - Karma: 816
sharper than dull but not like fresh skis sharp. na mean?
Jul 26 2009 2:32PM
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powder_submarine
Posts: 204 - Karma: 17
i have a little curiosity here, like to know your opinions...

what you think about having dull edges on tip and tail and sharp edges underfoot (this is how i tune my snowboard)? i guess it get less catchy when landing and more playful, but it's harder to do rails... so maybe having your edges dull on tip-tail (for landings) and exactly underfoot (for rails), while keeping them a bit sharper in front and back of bindings (for groomers), but i fear it's such a compromise as trying to have a one-ski quiver...
Jul 26 2009 2:34PM
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pigglywiggly
Posts: 4482 - Karma: 305
i just heard if you didnt dull them a little then you fuck up the edges on your skis..
Jul 26 2009 2:34PM
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charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 372
you're gonna want to detune your tips and tails, but not like, all the way until you get to underfoot
Jul 26 2009 2:38PM
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The_Future
Posts: 1418 - Karma: 607
Really?  You think midwest skiers don't need edges as much as skiers on real mountains...really?  Have you ever skied in the midwest?  Have you ever heard of iceskating? How well do you think you could iceskate or play hockey without sharp skates? Because well that's basically what skiing in the midwest is... iceskating.  I don't have much for edges on my skis and that's the way I like it, but your post makes absolutely no sense.  To me I would think that having sharp edges while skiing on real snow... even if it's hardpack or groomer wouldn't be a big deal.  Although we might only have 30 second runs in the midwest, we can ski crap snow as well as or better than anyone else.
Jul 26 2009 2:39PM
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80*s4eva
Posts: 423 - Karma: 43
^^^i agree- lots o ice in the midwest. if youre gonna ski rails detune yo skis. if you want to hold an edge on ice keep em sharp
Jul 26 2009 2:57PM
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Piste.Off
Posts: 11586 - Karma: 1,861
well the days im using my pow skis i'm no just skiing powder. they're for crud, groomers, bumps, and everything else
Jul 26 2009 3:01PM
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JonathonChandler
Posts: 905 - Karma: 423
if you actually do rails,  it is impossible to get your edges sharp
Jul 26 2009 3:11PM
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bananasteezy10
Posts: 34 - Karma: 11
watev dull in park so u dont catch ur edge. sharp in other terrrain
Jul 26 2009 3:14PM
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charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 372
no, i don't.
you ski park. you hit rails right? then you basically don't have sharp edges.
Jul 26 2009 3:16PM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5674 - Karma: 4,227
Does anybody just sharpen near the tips and tails, and leave the area underfoot dull. You don't normally grind on the tips/tails unless you do a lot of tail or nose presses. Would that leave you with good edge grip on ice and no hang ups on rails?

I like jumps a lot more than rails, so i'd consider doing that if it worked.
Jul 26 2009 4:00PM
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charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 372
it's better than 100% dull. but your edge grip won't be perfect
Jul 26 2009 4:03PM
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Powdered_Donuts
Posts: 2180 - Karma: 187
just leave them as they are an as you slide more rails they will detune themselves you'll be ok
Jul 26 2009 4:06PM
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EastCoast315
Posts: 3136 - Karma: 137
dulll as shit
Jul 26 2009 4:08PM
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The_Future
Posts: 1418 - Karma: 607
You're an idiot.  Yes I ski park and yes I ski rails... but that doesn't mean I don't like having a little bit of edge on my ski and use my edges when I ski... just because I live in Wisconsin doesn't mean I ski flat based and pizza wedge all the way down the hill.  I also am a ski patroller and ski the whole hill, so I do actually carve and turn and ski bumps on a regular basis.  I never detune my skis, I just let them do their thing. 
Jul 26 2009 4:09PM
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*LiNeLover*
Posts: 1224 - Karma: 256
yeah i just think you should do what you like. I rarely get my skis tuned because i feel like i catch my edges on rails and boxes when my edges are super sharp and i dont really need a sharp edge cause we hardly ever have really icy days where i ski.

however, this last winter, i went and competed in new hampshire and it was solid ice so i asked the people at the shop to sharpen my edges a little bit so that i could make it down the ice skating rink, but not a whole lot cause i didnt want to eat shit on the rails in the comp...
Jul 26 2009 4:22PM
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charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 372
whatever...

i don't really care
Jul 26 2009 4:23PM
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CTD
Posts: 6300 - Karma: 348
heres my thoughts on this, and how i tune my skis.

for one, if your planning on hitting rails, right from the get go take down your edges underfoot. if you want your skis to last, and to not tear out edges, its critical. sharp edges catch and pull out/crack. take down the burrs that form every once in a while too, this helps as well.

what i usually do as far as tuning, is a 2-3 degree base edge bevel with the tips and underfoot (binding footprint)pretty heavily detuned. this still gives you lots of bite when you get on edge, but makes rails and butters really smooth and predictable.

if your skiing icy stuff, take the base bevel down a bit and make sure your sidewall bevel gives you a nice perpendicular edge, and detune a little less far out
Jul 26 2009 8:20PM
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summersover
Posts: 5777 - Karma: 233
I keep mine medium sharp in the sidecut for the east coast ice and just let them dull themselves underfoot for rails
Jul 26 2009 8:23PM
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Midwestjibski
Posts: 1676 - Karma: 77
I pretty much spend like 99% in the park. I just get my edges detuned and then sliding rails eventually just dulls them up more which is good for rail skiing.
Jul 26 2009 9:09PM
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fsscott
Posts: 4684 - Karma: 114
dull as fuck

like i can't cut ANYTHING with em, cause rails are all i do and its all there really is here
Jul 26 2009 9:14PM
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MADDECENT
Posts: 5579 - Karma: 951

If the skis are new, maybe just get them detuned, don't grind them away or anything. After a few weeks my edges are always dull underfoot, but not so much to the outside, so I can still carve ok in the pipe.

Your best bet is just to let them do their own thing

Jul 26 2009 10:15PM
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Skee90
Posts: 436 - Karma: 15
Sharp as a marble.
Jul 26 2009 10:57PM
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CHARLES.BRONSON
Posts: 3123 - Karma: 229
i dull mine with a grinding bit on a dril(more so underfoot). Stops em from ever catching, also the edges will last alot longer cause they crack less and dont grab sticky spots on rails. I dont really like sharp edges ever, theyre bad in powder bad in chunder and bad in park
Jul 27 2009 1:54AM
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